FO’s, a splurge, and thinking ahead

I was waiting to blog last week so I could finish my shawl and show it off. However… the shawl wasn’t finished until Sunday. C’est la vie.

Here it is and it is gorgeous. I am seriously in love with it.

I wish I could wear it but, alas, summer is here in Alberta.

—

So I think my next project is going to be the colour affection that is sweeping Ravelry. Awesome sister has already made one that was, well, awesome. And more garter stitch and short rows sound perfect at the moment.

I’m leaning most toward the bugga combination. I think it would look lovely. But the bright Cash Sock is calling me as well.

Also… It is hard to make up three colour combos! I found a lot of two colour combinations that I loved but didn’t necessarily have the stash to make many three colour ones. (I’m a bit weird and need my yarn to ‘match’ in a project)

—

Awesome sister and I went to a small fiber festival a few hours south of us. Olds College is an agricultural college that hosts a ‘fibre week’ every year. We went to check out the merchant mall. And I definitely broke my cold sheeping. 😉

First we discovered an awesome array of hand-dyed yarns at the Ancient Arts booth. Sadly her website seems to focus on the fibre and supported spindles she was also selling, and while these were indeed scrummy it was the yarn that really pulled me in.

Some superwash bfl in a dk weight came home:

and some superwash bfl in a sock weight:

and a bit of roving…

I also got this locally (within the province) spun yarn. They use (I believe) local sheep as well. It is squishy! I think I’m going to dye it this upcoming long weekend.

Now for the splurge… heh heh heh

—-

So I’ve been doodling around with my spindles for about a year now, and not really getting too passionate about spinning. With a spindle you have to keep stopping and winding yarn. So I had been half-heartedly thinking about a wheel, it does the winding for you. But no shop in town sells wheels…

There were a lot of wheels at the merchant mall. And a very nice lady who wouldn’t let me buy a wheel until I had spun and plyed some yarn on one.

It was stupidly fun. You’ll notice that this picture wasn’t taken at Olds College either… 😉

This gorgeous, beautiful, amazing Ashford Traveller came home with me.

and then I started playing:

60 yards of a bulky. lolz. But it is so beautiful I have forgiven it for being almost unusable. Awesome sister tells me there are patterns out there for such a small amount of bulky… but I’m happy to leave it looking pretty. Also? It looks much prettier after its bath, but I’m too lazy to take another picture. 😉

And of course there is already something new on the bobbin:

I’m drafting a lot more in an effort to make a useable amount of yarn. I am in love with the process though, so soothing and meditative. 😀

—-

Katie doesn’t much care for the wheel, but did supervise my spinning for awhile yesterday. She’s been very good at helping soothe everyone’s frayed nerves after a couple of crazy weeks.

How could you not relax when her royal highness is looking so beautiful and regal? Of course she can be silly too…

I LOVE the wheel compared to the spindle. It is faster and gives me far more control. Plus I don’t look like an idiot with my arms waving above my head all the time. I am not the most graceful spinner. 😛

What they say is true though, you need to try a wheel before you buy. But you don’t have to try EVERY wheel. (I’ve only ever spun on my traveller.. hee hee MY traveller, it still makes me v. happy)